Front gear for wagons.



G. KAUTZ, st.

FRONT GEAR FOR W AGONS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2'7, 1909.

971,507, Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

THE NORRIS PETERS ca, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE KAUTZ, SR., OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO I-IULDAH lVL KAUTZ, 0F ALBANY, NEW YORK.

FRONT GEAR FOR WAGONS.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE KAUTZ, Sr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Front Gear for Wagons, of which the following is a specification.

The invention appertains to wagons, more particularly to that class known as dumpingwagons, and the object is, generally, to improve upon and simplify devices of this nature and, specifically, to provide a novel construction of front running-gear, dispensing with one of the usual front wheels of the wagon, and affording a structure whereby the single front wheel, used in my device, may be turned with a minimum of effort. In the usual construction of four wheel wagon, the whipping of the wagon-tongue, caused by one of the forward wheels striking an obstruction,'results in the horses breast and shoulders becoming sore and lame, frequently compelling the substitution of another horse, to the great detriment and loss of the person using the wagon. By my peculiar construction of front running-gear and single wheel, this great objection is obviated.

Other minor and subsidiary objects, looking to the ultimate perfection of the device as an entirety, will appear as the specification proceeds and the different phases of the invention are exhibited.

In the accompanying drawing, I have exhibited a form of embodiment of my invention capable of carrying out the underlying principles; it being understood that the invention is susceptible of various modifications in detail, and all modifications as come within the terms of the appended claims, constitute no departure from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing: Figure 1. is a bottom plan view of the running-gear of the wagon; Fig. 2 is a section on the line &4L, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of certain parts of the running-gear, the annulus, or ringplate, forming part of the running-gear, being omitted.

Referring, now, in detail to the drawing: A designates the wagon-bed, and a, a the two rear wheels of the wagon.

a, 64 represent timbers, constituting part of the side framework of the wagon, and which are hollowed out, as at a on their in- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 27, 1909.

Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

Serial No. 514,949.

ner faces, for a purpose presently appearing; said timbers being duplicates of each other.

a a are transverse timbers, forming part of the framework of the wagon, and connecting the timbers a, a.

Rigidly secured to the framework, as to the timbers a, a and a a is an annulus or ring-plate a a a represent wagon-hounds, carrying on their upper surfaces, medially of their length, ears or shoulders a, a. Connecting said hounds, toward their extremities, and rigidly secured thereto, are two arc-plates a (4 working against the under surface of the annulus a as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

Rigidly secured to the hounds a a and disposed upon the upper surface of the shoulders a, a, are two straight plates a a the ends whereof bear upon the upper surface of the annulus a as shown in Fig. 2.

Disposed between the plates a a and the hounds a a and disposed on each side of the shoulders a, a, are anti-friction rollers a", a a", a, which work against the inner circumferential wall of the annulus or ringmember a In this instance, pins a passing through the plates a the rollers a and the hounds a constitute pivots for the rollers 61-".

Mounted in bearings in the hounds a a is an axle a upon which is mounted the hub c2 of a single front wheel a. It will be understood, of course, that the wagontongues (not shown) are fastened to the front ends of the hounds a a The operation of the device, and the cooperation of the parts, in turning the wagon, are as follows: The horse, in moving sidewise, will, through the wagon-tongues (not shown) fastened to the wagon-hounds a a exert a sidewise pull on the forward ends of said hounds; and said hounds, with their rigidly connected arc-plates a a and straight plates a a will swing, pivotally, in a horizontal plane, the wheel a turning synchronously. During this movement,just described, the freely revoluble anti-friction rollers a, working against the inner circumferential wall of the annulus, or ring-plate a insure that the front wheel a shall turn with a minimum of effort, and that the hounds a a (and said connected plates) shall also swing, pivotally, with a maximum of ease. It will be noted, therefore, that the wagon-hounds a a with their rigidly attached plates a a a a are hung to swing upon the annulus or ring-plate a and that, as the rollers a work against the inside periphery of the annulus, which is rigidly attached to the wagon-framework, the annulus thus governs and guides the hounds a a and connected plates in their pivotal movement. The hollowed-out portions a of the timbers a insure that, during the swinging movement of the hounds a a in turning the wagon, the ends of the plates a a shall not jam against the inner faces of said timbers 64.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. 111 a wagon, in combination with the front framework thereof, front runninggear, comprising a horizontallydisposed annulus rigidly secured to said framework, wagon-hounds disposed beneath said annulus, two arc-plates disposed on top of said wagon-hounds, extending transversely thereof, rigidly secured thereto, and bearing against the under surface of said annulus, two straight plates rigidly secured to said hounds and bearing, at their ends, upon the upper surface of said annulus, anti-friction rollers rotatably mounted between said straight plates and said hounds and bearing against the inner circumferential wall of said annulus, and asingle front wheel dis posed between said hounds.

2. In a wagon, in combination with the front framework thereof, front runninggear, comprising a horizontally-disposed annulus rigidly secured to said framework, wagon-hounds disposed beneath said annulus, two arc-plates disposed on top of said wagon-hounds, extending transversely thereof, rigidly secured thereto, and bearing against the under surface of said annulus, shoulders carried on the upper surfaces and intermediate the length of said hounds, two straight plates rigidly secured to said hounds and disposed on top of said shoulders and bearing, at their ends, upon the upper surface of said annulus, anti-friction rollers rotatably mounted between said straight plates and said hounds and bearing against the inner circumferential wall of said annulus, and a single front wheel disposed between said hounds.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE KAUTZ, SR. \Vitnesses VILLIAM BLASIE, Bonner H. LANESMAN. 

